If Only Yesterday
by NickyW
Summary: If there had ever been just one day in his life when he would happily – no - forcibly have traded all his tomorrows for one single yesterday, then today was that day.
1. Chapter 1

**AN** : - Written for the Proboards June writing prompt. Following on from the Ball this veers away slightly from the original story and may be a little more angsty than some people might like.

 **Disclaimer** : - Written for pleasure not profit… I own nothing!

 **Rating** : - T

 **If Only Yesterday**

By

Nicky W

If there had ever been just _one_ day in his life when he would happily – no - _forcibly_ have traded all his tomorrows for one single yesterday, then today was that day. Although, if he had been rational enough to think about it, that wasn't exactly true because it wasn't the first time. He had thought the very same thing the day that his beloved Agathe had died, the difference being, that he had at least had the time to create precious memories with her in the preceding years of their marriage and she had known how completely and utterly he had loved her. But Maria… Maria knew nothing of the deeply intense longing he had for her and now… it was too late. As he cradled her in his arms, his tears falling on her alabaster cheeks, he looked up to the Doctor who shook his head sadly before turning reluctantly, knowing there was nothing more that he could do.

xXx

 _The Previous Day…_

"Oh Captain, the children are _so_ excited about tonight's party," Maria skipped into the breakfast room, like an unstoppable whirlwind, twirling and turning as she ruffled the children's hair one by one on her way past. They giggled furiously as the Captain raised an eyebrow at her exuberant behaviour.

"Erm… is it _only_ the children, Fraulein?" he grinned, wickedly.

"I'm sorry, Captain?" Maria was confused by his question and looked towards the children who were still smiling widely.

"Who are excited… about the party. As it seems to me, that a certain Governess has also been bitten by the party bug," he winked and gave her a warm smile before returning to his morning newspaper.

Maria blushed profusely. Did he really just wink at her? Perhaps he just had something in his eye. She looked over to Liesl who seemed to be studying her reaction with great interest.

"Oh, well… I mean, I suppose…" Maria stuttered, still well aware that her face was the colour of the ripest strawberries in the kitchen. "I'm just very excited about the surprise that the children have for your guests this evening."

Maria was lying and she knew it. She just hoped that the Captain didn't!

She had found herself daydreaming about him ever since that day when he had serenaded her, for that is exactly what it seemed like. Even though she had not been the only person in the room, she had felt like he was singing Edelweiss only for her. As soon as there had been mention of a grand and glorious party she had been far too interested in how handsome he would look dressed up with his medals and his white gloves. In fact, she had also found herself dancing and twirling far more than normal, humming waltzes and imagining things that postulants should certainly not be imagining.

The Captain folded his newspaper and placed it on the table, giving Maria his full attention. He spotted her somewhat flustered appearance and flushed cheeks, something that he had actually been noticing far more often since the puppet show. Or maybe she had always been prone to blushing and it was just that he was finding himself staring at her a lot more than he used to.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure that they will be as enchanted by my children as I am," he smiled and held Maria's gaze a little longer than was necessary. "Anyway," he shook his head in an attempt to regain his composure. "I really must get on, there's a lot to do today. Children… be good for your Governess and then I shall see you all this evening."

Maria watched as he pushed his chair under the table and then turned on his heels and left. She felt certain it was going to be a very long day.

xXx

As the guests began to arrive, the children sat on their knees with their faces pressed against the railings, peering out over the floor below. The youngest girls gasped at the beautiful flowing ball gowns that the women wore, whilst the boys speculated about the various medals sported by some of their gentleman companions.

Maria walked along the corridor clapping her hands, "Come now children, it's time to get into your party clothes."

For once, the children did as they were told, eagerly, because it meant that the sooner they were dressed, the sooner they could join the party.

"Fraulein Maria," Liesl called after her. "Aren't you going to wear something fancy for the party?"

Maria looked towards the Captain's eldest daughter and smiled.

"I'm afraid that I have never owned anything fancy in my life, Liesl," she answered the young girl honestly, as she patted down her dress. "This will just have to do."

"You always look pretty in whatever you wear and I'm sure father will agree," Liesl replied with a glint in her eye and she slid her arm through Maria's as they made their way along the corridor.

"I'm quite sure your father will not be the slightest bit interested in what his Governess is wearing," Maria contradicted, bluntly but Liesl just smiled and gave her a rather knowing look.

xXx

The small orchestra played passionately, as the children watched wide eyed from the terrace. The graceful couples floated around the ballroom, the ladies looking like Princesses to the girls. Marta and Gretl sighed as they watched the handsome men sweep the ladies off their feet, leading them masterfully around the dancefloor before bowing elegantly before them.

Maria couldn't help gazing into the beautifully decorated room either, as her eyes were constantly drawn towards the Captain who looked incredibly handsome in his tails, waistcoat and dress shirt. Every time she looked he seemed to be dancing with yet another beautiful woman in a stunning outfit. She looked down at her own plain dress and remembered her conversation with Liesl. Sadly, she tore herself away from the terrace doors but as she turned, the sight of Liesl and Friedrich dancing made her smile again. Before long Kurt also wanted to learn how to dance and he asked Maria if she would show him.

After explaining that the dance was the Landler, a traditional Austrian folk dance, she began trying to show him the rudimentary steps, although all they seemed to achieve was a tangled and less than elegant mess.

xXx

There was no denying that most of the women that were now dominating his time, were elegant, sophisticated and yes, beautiful. However, not one of them, including Elsa, he found even half as fascinating as he found Maria. He had been trying to diplomatically decline each dance but their beauty was matched in equal measure by their determination. He laughed to himself as he likened them in his own mind to vultures circling their prey.

Finally finding himself free, his eyes swept the ballroom for a glimpse of his Governess. Failing to spot her he decided to take some air. The ballroom had become unbearably stuffy and as he neared the doors he could feel the cool refreshing breeze on his face.

Stepping out onto the terrace he suddenly stopped as he saw Kurt struggling desperately to dance with Maria. Not only did he find her captivating, he was also astounded at how naturally, looking after and nurturing his children seemed to be for her. It was the first time since the death of their mother that he had seen his children so happy and relaxed and he had Maria to thank for all of it.

A deliciously inappropriate idea crossed his mind and before he could think better of it, he smiled devilishly as he pushed his fingers into his gloves firmly and strode to the centre of the terrace, tapping Kurt playfully on the head.

"Erm… do allow me, will you?"

Maria turned and looked in astonishment as the Captain reached out his gloved hand for her.

Hesitating for only a moment, she took his hand tentatively. Teaching Kurt had been one thing but dancing with his father was something completely different. She tried not to look into his eyes because she knew that if she did she would be lost, along with any remaining will power that she might have left, where he was concerned. As her heart began to race and she could feel her cheeks burning she knew that it was more than just a simple crush that she had on her employer, she was falling head over heels in love with him.

As they glided across the smooth marble tiles on the terrace floor, it wasn't long before their eyes finally met. The second they began to circle one another, getting closer and closer, he dived into the captivatingly lustrous, pale blue depths of her eyes and in that instant he knew he was drowning.

Time stood still as they slowly parted, he released her hand and his arm dropped to his side. Almost in slow motion she stepped away from him never breaking the longing looks that they held for each other.

As if it had been a dream, no sooner had it begun than it ended.

It was only the sound of Brigitta's voice that broke the perfect moment and Maria brought her hands up to her cheeks.

Of course she knew that he wouldn't believe her excuse of having forgotten the dance but her heart was pounding so fast and her head was spinning and it was the only thing she could think of in that instant.

Holding the gaze that he had upon her, the Captain smiled at her reply and seeing this, the Baroness, who had obviously witnessed at least part of their intimate display, swept him swiftly away amidst barbed comments.

The Captain looked back as Maria whisked the children through the hedged garden and although he wouldn't have expressed it audibly, he did have to silently agree with Elsa, that it had indeed been rather hot on the terrace!

xXx

Maria should have been basking in the glory of the many congratulatory comments and kind words that she had received after the children performed their musical surprise for the guests at the party. In fact, she could even have been joining those guests at Herr Detweiler's request had it not been for the unwanted intrusion of the Baroness as she had gone to her room to change.

After placing the envelope carefully on the hall table, Maria took one glance behind her and then stepped out into the night air. The Baroness's words were still piercing her conscience like daggers.

 _There's nothing more irresistible to a man than a woman who is in love with him._

Of course, Elsa was right about Maria being in love with the Captain. She'd discovered that herself, as she had indeed blushed in his arms that evening, but she would never have intentionally tried to use that fact to seduce him in any way.

 _What makes it so nice is… he thinks he's in love with you._

However, the most unsettling thing of all was the fact that the Baroness had such little regard for her prospective husband. Maria knew that he was an honourable man and that he would never do anything inappropriate, why didn't Elsa feel the same?

A mixture of anger and desperation spurred Maria on. The road was badly lit and a combination of that and the now inclement weather was making it difficult for Maria to see even a few feet in front of her. She knew that she had missed the last bus back to Salzburg and so she was faced with the unwelcome prospect of walking back to the Abbey.

She grabbed her bag and guitar tightly and started to widen her strides. The rain was lashing down now and water dripped from the brim of her hat. She lifted the back of her hand to her face and wiped away the moisture that was threatening to obscure her vision. Hearing a car some distance behind her she turned to look. There was indeed a vehicle that was swiftly approaching her. As it got nearer she recognised the driver and lifted her bag in the air to try and grab his attention. Whether the driver saw her she couldn't be sure but the next moment she stumbled over the uneven surface of the road and staggered into the path of the oncoming car.

The side of the car hit her with a glancing blow and she was thrown violently backwards. Her bag and guitar landed under the wheels and were crushed before being thrown in the same direction as she was.

Lying in a crumpled heap by the roadside, Maria lifted her head painfully. Drifting in and out of consciousness, she saw through blurred eyes that the car had stopped for a moment. The driver opened his door and glanced behind without stepping out. With only a cursory glance he closed the door and then carried on down the track towards the main road to Salzburg.

Maria was unable to hold her head up any longer and it flopped down onto her arm. Breathing heavily, her chest feeling like it was being crushed by a huge stone, she desperately tried to drag herself to a place of safety. Having reached the shelter of a tree she slumped into the deep undergrowth and finally lost her fight to stay awake.

xXx

After having the satisfaction of seeing off Herr Zeller who had decided that he would rather brave the disgusting weather that had swiftly and unexpectedly swept over Aigen, than remain at the Captain's party; Georg returned to his guests.

He was disappointed that Maria hadn't joined them, as Max had requested, but wasn't entirely surprised. He doubted that such occasions suited her but vowed to himself that he would talk to her in the morning about what had happened between them that night on the terrace.

Elsa never left his side for the remainder of the evening and he began to grow a little suspicious of her motives, never the less, the evening went well and it wasn't until the wee small hours that the final guests decided to leave.

Sitting in his study, Georg raised his glass to his friend.

"To Austria."

"To pretty little Governesses," Max returned his toast with a twinkle in his eye.

"Max, you are incorrigible," Georg snorted as he downed his drink in one and then slammed the glass down on the table.

"What?" Max replied innocently. "Are you to have me believe that you don't find your Governess pretty?"

"I'm not sure that is any of your business." Georg was becoming a little irritated by his friend's interrogation.

"It is my business when it involves Elsa. You know that she and I have been friends for longer than I care to remember," Max answered firmly. "She knows that you have fallen in love with Maria, as do I."

Georg looked at his friend rather defeated and filled his glass once again before slumping down in the arm chair near the fire.

"Yes, I do believe I have, Max. But I intend to put things right with Elsa. Tomorrow I'll speak to her and then I'll find out if Maria shares my feelings."

"I have a hunch dear boy that Elsa may already have beaten you to it."

"What do you mean?"

"Judging by her comments to me this evening, I think that it wasn't entirely a coincidence that Maria didn't join us for dinner."

"You think Elsa warned her off?" Georg snapped, the idea that Elsa may have hurt Maria, disgusting him.

"Not in so many words I'm sure… but it might not be as easy as you think to sort out your little problem. Anyway, I'll bid you goodnight. Thank you once again dear fellow for a marvellous evening." Max walked unsteadily to the door and headed off up the stairs to his room.

Georg sat back and his head slumped against the back of the chair. All he wanted was a simple uncomplicated life and he knew that it was within his grasp if only Maria felt the same way as he did. He knew in his heart that she did and he also knew that not many people were lucky enough to have a second chance at true love.

xXx

 _The present morning…_

"Captain von Trapp…" Frau Schmidt called after him as he entered the breakfast room. "I have a letter for you. It was found on the hall table following the Ball last night."

"Thank you, Frau Schmidt," Georg smiled and he took the note from her hand.

"Good morning, children," he nodded, as he sat down and began to tear open the letter.

"Father… where is Fraulein Maria?" Gretl asked, as her father unfolded the letter.

"Oh, I expect she is just late again. You know that your Governess has many endearing features but punctuality is not one of them."

"But Father," Marta whined. "Frau Schmidt had to see to us this morning because nobody could find Fraulein Maria."

As Georg cast his eyes over the letter it suddenly began to dawn on him that Elsa hadn't only persuaded Maria not to attend the party but she had also managed to convince her to leave them.

"Children, eat your breakfast and then go to your rooms and carry on with your studies. I have some urgent business to attend to today," Georg left his breakfast uneaten and headed towards his study, almost bowling Max over in the process, as the impresario made his way for breakfast.

"What on earth… Georg!" Max yelped as he just managed to steady himself against one of the marble pillars in the hall.

"Max, I may need your help… the study…NOW, please," Georg snapped and Max knew by the tone of his friend's voice that he was better to follow orders.

After closing the study door Georg threw Maria's letter towards his old friend.

"Did you know about this?" Georg spat. "Because it certainly sounded like you had a fair idea of what Elsa was up to."

As Max read the contents of the letter, Georg paced up and down with his hands firmly clenched behind him.

"Of course not, how would I know that Fraulein Maria intended to leave last night. When I told you I thought Elsa had been up to something I never for one-minute thought that she would chase Maria away."

"You will go and speak to Elsa and find out what exactly it was that she said to Maria."

"But Georg, don't you think that is a conversation that would be better coming from you?"

"At this very moment in time I'm not sure that I can even look at Elsa, let alone speak to her."

"Very well, I'll talk to her as soon as she comes down. Perhaps it's for the best. After all, Maria is a postulant and as soon as she has fulfilled her duties here she'll be taking her vows," Max tried to be the voice of reason.

"Max! When I want your words of wisdom I shall ask for them. _Now_ … I suggest you go and see Elsa _this minute_ and if she is still languishing in her bed then please make sure she gets a rude awakening!" Georg turned and picked up the phone that was on his desk. He looked once more towards Max who took that as his cue to leave.

xXx

Slamming the receiver down, Georg walked to the window and looked out over the gardens. The storm the previous night had brought down many branches which were strewn about the lawn and he could see the gardeners already setting about clearing up the debris.

He flexed his fingers as he mulled over the Reverend Mother's words.

 _"_ _Fraulein Maria has not returned to the Abbey and if she is not with you Captain then I have no idea where she may be. We are all she has in this world. I pray God will keep her safe in her time of need."_

He couldn't just stand there and do nothing. Striding out into the hall he grabbed his jacket and shouted up the stairs to Max. He had been tempted to get out his whistle and blow it as hard as he could to attract his friend's attention but he knew that would only bring his children running and gone were the days when they were ruled by a whistle.

Max appeared at the top of the stairs with a very bashful looking Elsa by his side.

"Georg, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"Enough!" Georg barked at Elsa. "I shall speak with you later."

Max joined his friend in the hall and took the coat that Georg held out to him.

"We have to find her Max; she didn't go back to the Abbey last night. There's nowhere else she would go."

Max glanced up the stairs towards Elsa who looked on as Georg flung the villa doors open violently.

xXx

The car weaved in and out of fallen branches on the mud smeared road and it was clear that no one had yet attempted to clear it. Under strict instructions to scour the roadside, Max kept his eyes firmly fixed to his left.

"I hardly think we are likely to find her out here. She's an intelligent girl, I'm sure she would have sought shelter. She's probably enjoying a hearty breakfast with some kindly souls as we speak." Max glanced across at Georg. "Something I should be doing actually; my stomach feels quite empty." He rubbed his stomach painfully.

"Max! I don't think you're taking this seriously. _You_ may not know but I certainly do, that there are no houses on this stretch of road for miles. The storm hit just as we were having dinner last night, the exact same time Maria must have left the villa. Don't you see, she could be out here anywhere."

Max felt quite ashamed which was rare for him and he turned to carry on his important task without further grumbling. Suddenly, he spotted something by the side of the road.

"Georg, over there… look." Max pointed some distance ahead of them. "I think it's a bag."

Georg stopped the car with a screech of the wheels and quickly got out, running across to where Max had indicated he had seen something. As he got nearer he saw that it _was_ a bag, he walked a little further and also found a battered brown leather hat.

Max got out of the car as the shocking truth hit him. They had found Maria's belongings. Georg began searching in the over grown grass and before long he stumbled upon the broken and mangled guitar.

Max put his hand on Georg's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Georg glared at Max and handed him the bag and hat. "Here, take these back to the car. We have to keep looking."

Max did as he was asked but no sooner had he placed the wet and filthy things in the car than he heard the distressing sound of his friend shouting out in despair.

"No, no, noooo… Oh please God, no."

Max quickly turned as he saw his friend drop to his knees and cradle something in his arms. As he approached, Georg stood and then bent down and scooped the limp and lifeless body of his Governess into his arms. He staggered out from the bushes at the side of the road and made his way towards the car.

Max could see the tears streaming down Georg's cheeks as he held Maria closely to him. She was caked in mud and congealed blood covered the side of her face.

"Is she… is she breathing?" Max whispered.

Georg nodded as Maria's head fell against his shoulder. He kissed her forehead before placing her gently onto the back seat of the car. Her clothes were wet through and she had lost both of her shoes. Georg covered her in a travel blanket and tucked it under her before rushing to the driver's seat and heading back to Aigen.

xXx

Pacing outside Maria's bedroom door, Georg tried to remain calm as the Doctor tended to Maria's injuries. Frau Schmidt who had helped clean Maria and get her into her night clothes before the Doctor had arrived, waited anxiously with him.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the Doctor opened the door and gestured for them both to enter the room. A nurse was tucking the blankets around Maria once more and she then excused herself and left the room.

"I'm afraid she has extensive injuries consistent with having been hit by a car or some other sort of vehicle. It's possible that in the storm last night she may have wandered out into the road and been struck."

Frau Schmidt gasped at the Doctors words and looked across to the Captain who stood ashen faced staring towards Maria.

"Her broken bones will heal but her head injury concerns me," the Doctor continued his diagnosis.

Georg walked to Maria's bedside and sat down beside her. Frau Schmidt looked on as she realised how much her cared for the Governess.

Carefully raising her, her slid himself behind her so that she rested against his chest. He brought his arm around her shoulder and pulled her gently to him. He softly caressed her cheek and swept the hair away from her bruised and battered face.

"Will she recover," he asked in a whisper, barely wanting to hear the answer.

"It is my opinion that her injuries are too severe. I believe Captain von Trapp, that you should prepare yourself for the worst."

As he cradled Maria in his arms, his tears falling on her alabaster cheeks, Georg looked up to the Doctor who shook his head sadly before turning reluctantly, knowing there was nothing more that he could do.

xXx

 ** _Thank you for reading, I do hope you enjoyed it. If you have the time, I would really appreciate it if you would leave a review… good or bad!_**

 ** _I do have further ideas to add another chapter or two to this story if you would like to read more._**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN** : - Written for the Proboards June writing prompt. Thank you so much for all the reviews that I received for chapter 1 and thank you to Clare, a guest reviewer who will see that I decided to include the idea that she suggested.

 **Disclaimer** : - Written for pleasure not profit… I own nothing!

 **Rating** : - T

 **Chapter 2**

 _Smoky grey clouds gathered ominously above him. The air was eerily still and not a sound could be heard as Georg von Trapp gradually acknowledged his surroundings._

 _A cold chill gnawed at his bones as he stood, an onlooker, unable to help his children, watching them break down in front of him. Frozen to the spot he looked on as Liesl tried desperately to console her younger sisters, whilst frantically wiping the cascade of tears that fell down her own cheeks. Friedrich and Kurt stood motionless with fear stricken faces, as they stared at their father, terrified to cry in case they incurred his wrath. Unable to move he suddenly felt clammy as he began to panic when the black shrouded Nuns of Nonnberg Abbey began to swarm around him, pressing against him, suffocating him. He heard a sombre voice in the distance getting closer and closer._

" _For as much as it has pleased our Heavenly Father in His wise providence to take unto Himself our beloved Maria, we therefore commit her body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust…"_

 _The Priests words faded away as did the unsettling images of the nuns and his children. At his right hand side, Georg felt an icy cold hand take his own. As he turned his head to look he saw the ashen features of his late wife staring back at him through hollow, empty eyes. To his left, he felt the uncomfortably warm body of Baroness Schrader pressed to his side. She was clutching his other hand tightly whilst desperately pleading for his forgiveness. Disgusted, he tried to wrench his hand away from Elsa's grasp and as he did so he felt Agathe's cold sinewy hand slip from his. He reached out to grab it but it was no longer there and as he glanced down, he saw his wife's grave, standing overgrown and neglected, next to the newly dug hole that lay before them._

 _Looking up helplessly, he became aware of Herr Detweiler who watched him with critical eyes before taking Elsa's hand and leading her away._

 _A ghostly white mist surrounded the trees. Smoky tendrils snaked around the trunks until they completely enveloped the rugged bark. The swirling vapour rolled across the sodden grass to his feet and then crept up his body, covering him like a shroud until he could see nothing._

 _Complete silence._

 _He tried to speak, to call out for help, he opened his mouth but no words came._

 _Then, as quickly as it had descended upon him, it cleared. The mist dispersed and there, above him, the birds darted and dived, serenading him with the sweetest songs he had ever heard. The sky was a brilliant blue and the air was filled with the fragrant smell of summer flowers._

 _Standing amongst a carpet of edelweiss, bathed in warm sunshine, was Maria. She held her bag and guitar tightly. Her beautiful sun kissed hair was covered by her ridiculous leather hat and her smile was so bright that it warmed his heart._

 _He immediately reached out for her, relieved to see her comforting smile but her image began to fade as she stepped slowly back from him._

" _I'm sorry, Captain… but I have to go. This is not the path that God has chosen for me."_

 _The air became stale and mist danced and swirled once again and then she was gone._

xXx

Georg cried out desperately in panic. His body jerked violently and he awoke, terrified and covered in sweat. He groaned in pain as his limbs protested against the cramped chair in which he had been sleeping. His aches quickly forgotten, he turned to see Maria, lying still in the bed beside him. Four nights and always the nightmares ended in the same way, with Maria disappearing before him as he was powerless to do anything to stop it.

The early morning sunshine streamed in between chinks in the drapes. He felt the warmth on his face and observed as the rays fell softly on Maria as she slept, bringing a golden glow to her deathly pale skin.

Reaching across, he took her limp hand between his own and brought it to his lips before slumping forward on his elbows, bringing her hand up to his forehead. In his lifetime he had fought and won many battles, both naval and personal. He considered himself to be a resilient man, strong willed and not prone to surrendering to his emotions but since Maria had come into his life she had made him rethink his whole outlook and she had brought out the sides to him which had been long buried since the death of his wife. If he lost Maria now, without even having had the opportunity of telling her how deeply he loved her, then he wasn't at all sure if he would ever be able to forgive himself. Perhaps the greatest and most important battle he had ever had to face in his lifetime, would prove to be the one that finally defeated him.

xXx

During the preceding four days, whilst Maria had lain lifeless in her bed he had tended to her diligently and had only left her side when forced to by Frau Schmidt. She had made him take time for a meal and to see his children who were all very concerned about their Fraulein.

They asked him many questions about why Maria had been out during the storm and he couldn't admit to them that _he_ had been the reason why she had fled the villa. He started to doubt his integrity. He should never have let the situation arise where Elsa had felt so jealous of Maria that she had driven her away. He should have been more disciplined, after all, he prided himself on his ability to run his household as if he was still on one of his submarines… but hindsight is a wonderful thing and something that Georg certainly did not have the advantage of.

In the evenings he had refused to retire to his own room, instead, insisting on resting by Maria's bed on an uncomfortable chair. Needless to say, sleep had not been easily forthcoming and in the twilight hours his mind often wandered. He recalled special moments that he had witnessed between Maria and his children and he came to realise that he had loved her far earlier than he had ever thought.

xXx

A soft knock on Maria's door woke him from his reverie. He lovingly placed Maria's hand back down by her side before wiping his eyes and running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to at least regain some semblance of the man that his servants had come to expect. He stood and then opened the door slightly, peering through the crack.

To his surprise, instead of Frau Schmidt, he found his old friend standing by the door.

"Max… its rather early for you to be up and around," he smiled feebly at his friend who just nodded before looking towards his own feet uncomfortably.

"Was there something you wanted?" Georg enquired a little impatiently, as Max continued to just stare at the ground.

"Err, yes, old fellow. I think it's time that I took Elsa back to Vienna. There's little point her staying here. She is fully aware of her involvement in this whole sorry situation and she feels that her presence here is only hurting you."

Georg edged out of the door and closed it quietly behind him before guiding Max by the arm along to his suite. Once inside, Georg could not restrain his anger and frustration any longer.

"You can tell Elsa that I have not thought about her _once_ since I found Maria lying by the side of that road. Contrary to her _obvious_ delusion, the whole world does _not_ revolve around _her_ ," Georg paced around the room flexing and twitching his fingers by his sides before turning to face Max.

"The sooner you remove her from my house the better."

Max fidgeted in obvious discomfort as he chose his next words carefully.

"Perhaps you should speak to her, Georg. I think you need to, so that you can move on with your life, for the sake of the children if nothing else."

Georg turned and stared out of the window. The clouds that drifted peacefully across the sky were reflected in the tranquil lake. The image of Maria and his children singing at the tops of their voices and rocking precariously in the rickety old rowing boat came to him and the recollection of all their excited faces when they had spotted him, made him smile to himself. It instantly soothed him and without turning he spoke calmly to his friend.

"If Maria dies then I will have no life to move on with… I wish that I had come to my senses earlier. I realise now that I loved her almost from the beginning and I should never have run away to Vienna. My children have come to rely on Maria, she is the only constant in their life. She has brought happiness back into this old house and love back into our hearts," Georg turned now to face his friend, the smile no longer visible on his lips.

"The only reason Maria was out in that storm is because of the vile lies that Elsa fed her. _Do you_ _honestly_ believe that I have _anything_ left to say to her? If Elsa feels guilty for her involvement, then I am glad. I will _not_ grant her the relief of my forgiveness." The anger was consuming him once again. He took a deep breath to compose himself and his voice became low but firm.

"Please take her back to Vienna but I would be grateful if _you_ would consider returning?"

Max nodded. He knew that there was nothing further he could do to convince Georg that he should talk to Elsa. He bade farewell to his friend knowing that he would immediately return to Maria's side.

xXx

The only person within the household who truly had any idea about Georg's feelings for Maria was Frau Schmidt. Yes, the children were intrigued by their father's absence but they just assumed that he had returned to his previous behaviour of shutting himself away from them, just as he had before their Fraulein had come into their lives. They had no idea that he was spending his time with their Governess.

Georg knew that the housekeeper had figured out his reasons for remaining at Maria's side, but he didn't care. For too long he had bottled up his emotions, worn a mask of deception which hid behind it a man struggling to understand his own feelings. If only Maria were well he would shout his love for her from the rooftops and he knew that he wouldn't care one bit who heard him. Let the gossip mongers spread their vicious lies. He loved her, more than he had ever loved anyone before.

Hearing a knock on Maria's door once again he pushed himself wearily out of the chair and opened it to see Frau Schmidt, holding a cup and saucer.

"Thank you," he smiled and gratefully took the steaming hot drink from her hands.

"Doctor Haas will be visiting shortly. I thought perhaps you might like to freshen up before he arrives. I'll see to Fraulein Maria and maybe change her nightgown."

Georg nodded. Whilst he had tended to Maria in most aspects of her recovery he had drawn the line at undressing her. Somehow it would have been wrong for him to interfere with her in such a way.

He opened the door wide enough for Frau Schmidt to enter and then took one final glance behind at Maria before heading for his own room to change.

xXx

Frau Schmidt sat beside Maria and tenderly stroked the stricken Governess's cheek. It had come as no surprise to her to find out that her employer had fallen in love with Maria. Almost as soon as she had arrived, the housekeeper had noticed a change in the Captain.

"Maria…" she whispered, "…you must fight my dear. There are so many people here who need you so much. The children ask about you every single day. They miss your smile and your songs and the Captain, well… he is lost. I doubt that you can hear the loving words that he whispers into your ear every day but he loves you so much that it is physically hurting him to see you like this. I know he blames himself for what happened, so you see, you must come back to us to make him realise that it was not his fault."

Maria remained unconscious but her eyes flickered slightly and so Frau Schmidt continued in the hope that perhaps Maria _did_ understand.

"The doctor will be coming soon, to see if you have made any progress. He believes that you were hit by a car in the storm."

Maria's eyes flickered again and this time her fingers twitched.

"The Captain found you, he saved your life. He would even give up his own life if it would bring you back. If he ever finds out who did this to you, well… I fear what he might do." The housekeeper started to push herself up from the chair when Maria groaned.

"Zeller… Herr Zeller." Her words were slurred and pained but Frau Schmidt understood immediately and everything made sense to her. She knew what had to be done, but telling the Captain was the last thing that she would do.

xXx

After changing Maria's nightgown, she let the Doctor in and went to tell the Captain of his arrival. She also told him that Maria had spoken a few words, although she decided that a few white lies would not see her banished to hell on this occasion.

Georg immediately rushed to Maria's room and flung the door open, much to the Doctors vexation.

"Please, Captain. The Fraulein may be showing promising signs but she still needs to rest without any loud interruptions. I will speak to Frau Schmidt presently about her continuing care on my way out." The doctor shut his bag and left them alone.

Ignoring the Doctor, Georg quickly settled at Maria's side, perching on the bed, he took her hand between his own.

"Maria, darling. Please, just show me that you can hear me," he pleaded quietly, but Maria remained still. He brushed a few stray strands of hair from her forehead with the back of his fingers and then stroked her cheek with his fingertips. Slowly he brought his lips to within inches of hers. He could feel her warm steady breath on his mouth as he hovered above her. Closing the gap, he kissed her tenderly.

It lasted only a moment and then he placed a soft kiss on her forehead before whispering, "I love you, Maria. With all my heart."

Lifting his face from hers he looked down at her lips and then gradually her eyes flickered and opened and the tears started to well. He could see her try to focus through the tears and confusion. She smiled fleetingly and he stared at her, lovingly placing his hand on her cheek, he brushed away a tear with his thumb.

Shock waves spread up his arm as to his horror Maria began to jerk and convulse violently. He held her shoulders and spoke to her with soothing words but the frantic jerking movements spread to the rest of her body and her arms and legs began to flail uncontrollably.

Georg nearly ripped the door off its hinges as he ran to the balcony and leaned as far over as he could.

"Doctor Haas… DOCTOR HAAS… I need you here _now_."

The Doctor, who had just collected his bag and coat, quickly ran up the stairs aware that there must be some emergency to cause the usually calm and collected Captain von Trapp to lose so much self-control.

When he entered Maria's room, her convulsions had begun to subside. He examined Maria and took her temperature and blood pressure. He checked for any injuries that the seizure may have inflicted and then snapped his bag shut once more.

"She doesn't have a fever so the convulsions were most likely as a result of the blow to the head. It is very difficult to know how severe her injury was. If she does recover there may be some lasting effects. I think the fact that she is beginning to respond is a good sign and we should not be disheartened by this. However, if she begins to deteriorate you must call me immediately and we may have to reconsider about her remaining here for her convalescence."

Georg just nodded. He had very little fight left in him. He had gone from near elation at Maria regaining consciousness to the most crippling sense of fear he had ever had in his life. She had understood him; he knew that but had his words been so abhorrent that _he_ had caused her relapse?

All along he had been convinced that she had feelings for him but perhaps he had misjudged her, perhaps she was just such a warm and loving person that treated everyone in the same way as she had treated him; with friendly glances, small touches and trust.

Looking down at how peaceful Maria looked once again, he slumped into the chair beside the bed. Guilt and despair overwhelmed him and his shoulders began to rock as four days of pain and frustration overtook him. Sobs shook his body, his throat began to tighten and his strangled cries rang out along the corridor.

Frau Schmidt burst into the room fearing the worst but she was stopped in her tracks by the heart-breaking image of the Captain, rocking himself in the chair. She walked up to him and placed her hand gently on his shoulder. He looked at her through blood shot eyes and allowed himself to be slowly guided to the door.

The housekeeper watched as her dejected employer made his way wearily to his room.

xXx

 _ **So, I have to admit that this story is just developing as it goes along, I hope that it's still enjoyable. There will be one further chapter to tie up all the loose ends. Thank you again for reading and I hope you think it worthy of a review… I always appreciate it!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**AN** : - Written for the Proboards June writing prompt. Thank you again for all the reviews, I really do appreciate them.

 **Disclaimer** : - Written for pleasure not profit… I own nothing!

 **Rating** : - T

 **Chapter 3**

Pulling back the golden velvet drapes, Frau Schmidt opened the window slightly to let some fresh air into the stuffy bedroom. She turned and smiled as she saw Fraulein Maria sitting up and eating her breakfast, heartily. The Governess had made remarkable, almost miraculous progress in the last week or so, largely due to the presence of the children who had been visiting her frequently since she had fully recovered consciousness.

Whilst she still bore the physical signs of her accident, it seemed, that although she fully understood what had happened to her and at who's hands, she had come to terms with it. The accident had been shockingly violent and yet she was happy in the knowledge that Frau Schmidt had passed on the information that she had gleaned from Maria and the authorities were looking into Herr Zeller's involvement in her injuries.

"Frau Schmidt…" Maria called, "will the children be visiting today? I do hope that they can find some time, it really cheers me up to see them."

"Why yes, my dear. They asked me yesterday if they could visit you… um, and perhaps I can ask the Captain if he'd like to accompany them?" Frau Schmidt was interested to know what the Fraulein knew of the Captains feelings for her.

"Oh, I'm sure that the Captain has much better things to do than visit me. The Baroness must have plans for them," Maria sighed.

Maria's reasons for leaving the villa remained the same and as soon as she was well, she would return to the Abbey and take her vows. Whilst she still held feelings for the Captain, stronger feelings than she'd care to admit, it was obvious to her that his lack of concern, highlighted by the fact that he had not visited her _once_ since she had woken up, confirmed to her that she had been deluded about his possible attraction to her and that in fact, the Baroness really had nothing to worry about.

"Maria…" the housekeeper came and sat in the chair by her bedside. "Were you not aware of anything when you were unconscious?"

"No, not really… well, I suppose there were times when I thought that I could hear things, perhaps even feel things but…" Maria's words drifted off as she recalled the Captain whispering into her ear, the warmth of his breath against her neck, the touch of his fingertips as he stroked her cheek tenderly. "But they were only dreams… nothing more."

"What if they weren't dreams, Maria?" Frau Schmidt persisted, "the Captain… he…"

The Housekeeper was interrupted as Maria was unable to supress possibly the loudest yawn that Frau Schmidt had heard. Maria was becoming tired. She still felt drained and the thoughts that she was having about the Captain were becoming distressing.

"Do you mind if I rest now, Frau Schmidt. I would like to be as fresh as possible when the children visit me after lunch."

"Yes, of course, my dear. I'll leave you now."

Frau Schmidt picked up the breakfast tray in one hand and closed the door behind her. She started to walk towards the Captain's suite. It was more than a week since she had found him slumped in the chair next to Maria, an apparently defeated man, devoid of hope. Since then he had spent most of his time in his study with his head buried in the piles of paperwork that had accrued since Maria's accident. He had joined the children for meals and made pleasant conversation but he had not set foot in Maria's room. Frau Schmidt had made sure that she kept him updated on Maria's progress at his request and whilst she could tell that he was obviously relieved that she was awake and recovering well, she could also tell that he was inwardly tormented. It wasn't her place to enquire and she knew full well that he would tell her so, particularly in his current mood but she felt her own heart breaking at the sight of this broken man, who so obviously loved the young woman who had swept into his and his children's lives and yet he seemed reluctant to do anything about it.

She paused momentarily but then turned as she got to the stairs and began to descend them slowly. She had no idea whether the Fraulein felt the same way about _him_ , perhaps she did but whatever was going on in their complicated lives was not going to be easy to unravel. One thing was certain though, she was going to do her very best to help them.

xXx

Breakfast being over, the children excused themselves from the table. Liesl hung back as the rest of her siblings made their way up to their school room.

"Father, we are all going to see Fraulein Maria after lunch. I thought maybe you would like to come with us. I'm sure that she would be very pleased to see you."

"Oh, I'm not sure I'll be able to, I have quite a lot of work to do today," Georg smiled at his daughter tenderly. If he didn't know better he might even think that Liesl was trying to act as some sort of matchmaker, but he felt sure that she couldn't possibly have any idea about how he felt about her Governess.

"But Father, you've been spending so much time working, especially since Fraulein Maria has been getting better. Before that we hardly saw you at all. Please, Father. Come and see her."

How could he deny his eldest daughter? Seeing Maria would certainly set his mind at ease. Frau Schmidt had been keeping him appraised of her recovery and she seemed to be doing well but the last thing he wanted was for her to have a relapse, which she might well do if she saw him again and remembered anything that he had said to her.

"Very well, I surrender," he laughed and held his hands in the air. "Come and find me when you are ready to see Fraulein Maria." He took hold of his daughter's hand and squeezed it gently before bringing it to his lips.

"Now… you must get on with your studies and I must get on with some work," he stood and escorted his daughter to the stairs, leaving her so that he could seek sanctuary in his study once more.

xXx

Liesl knocked softly on Maria's door and after hearing the quiet acknowledgement of their Governess, the children filed into the bedroom. They swarmed around Maria but Georg was stopped in his tracks as he saw the full extent of Maria's injuries. Since he last saw her, the bruises that now covered half of her face were angry and black. He could feel his throat tighten and his eyes begin to sting as he thought of the pain that she must be having to endure. He hung back watching, as one by one the children hugged Maria and kissed her on the cheek. The little ones clambered onto the bed and he could see her wince silently as they inadvertently sat on one of her many bruises. Marta and Gretl snuggled under her arms as the boys talked ten to the dozen about the unsuspecting creatures they had found during one of their many adventures in the garden. Georg didn't think that this woman could be any more perfect. She was stunningly beautiful, even with a battered and bruised face. She had an overwhelming capacity to love and how he wished that she loved him even a fraction as much as she loved his children.

He stepped forward slowly not wanting to interrupt the wonderful scene that was playing out before him and as he did so Maria looked up for the first time.

She wasn't expecting to see the Captain standing at the foot of her bed, why he had decided to come now was rather a mystery. Never the less, a broad smile swept across her lips and her eyes lit up at the sight of him. He had lost none of his appeal. Dressed in a smart blue suit and tie he looked devilishly handsome. She cursed herself for being so impulsive but she truly felt wonderful and when he smiled back at her she swore she could see tears in his eyes.

"Captain… I didn't expect to see you. I thought perhaps that you would be too busy with the Baroness. The children have told me how little they've seen of you."

Georg walked to the side of her bed. The children were busy tidying various things in Maria's room, freshening her water jug and arranging some wild flowers they had picked in the garden, so he took the opportunity to take a seat beside her.

"May I?" he gestured towards the chair.

Maria nodded and he settled quietly beside her.

"Um, yes, I have been quite busy. I'm sure that the children have been looking after you though." He began to feel guilty about abandoning her and he only wished that she knew how much time he had spent next to her in the first few days after the accident.

"They are wonderful children; you are so lucky Captain. They are such a credit to you," Maria purred as she looked over at how they were all busying themselves around her room.

"I think you _know_ , Fraulein that it is you that I have to thank for my children's improved behaviour and compassion. Without you I'm not sure what would have become of us," he smiled at Maria and she could see something more than just gratitude in his eyes. Such was the intensity of his gaze that she almost forgot to breath. His piercing blue eyes were becoming darker as she stared adoringly into their crystal clear depths.

Becoming increasingly uncomfortable by the feelings that he was evoking in her, she looked down at her hands.

"I'm sure the Baroness will make sure that the children remain on the right path. They are lucky to be getting a new mother to love them." Her words weren't entirely truthful or genuine but for the sake of the Captain, she wanted to be positive about his impending engagement.

"Maria… the Baroness has gone back to Vienna. She hasn't been here for over a week."

"Oh, I see… I thought that you would be engaged by now, after all, that's why you organised the party… isn't it?"

Their line of conversation took him by surprise but he wasn't shocked by Maria's forthright questions. It was one of the things he had come to love about her. She was straight talking and honest. Just what he had needed to make him come to his senses about so many aspects of his life that he needed to be improve.

"Things have changed. The Baroness won't be coming back to Salzburg, at least not to see me," he replied bluntly.

Maria could sense by the Captain's reluctance to talk about the Baroness that it was a conversation that was best kept for another time, even though she was incredibly intrigued by the news and couldn't help thinking that maybe her accident had something to do with it.

"The children have missed you very much since the accident, they asked about you every day," Georg whispered as he continued to gaze at her, unable to look away from her beautiful soft features.

"Was it only the children… who missed me?" she stared closely at his expression, as the gravity of her words dawned on him.

"No…" he became flustered, "I – I mean yes. Isn't it right that they should miss you?" was his ruffled reply.

"Of course… I was only hoping that…" Maria was interrupted as Kurt proudly placed a beautiful vase of flowers on her bedside table and promptly knocked over the glass of the water that she kept there.

The Captain jumped up as the water drenched his trousers and he frantically brushed the water droplets away trying to minimise the damage.

"Oh, never mind, don't worry Kurt, accidents happen," she chuckled as Georg looked less than impressed with his son.

"Right, children," he clapped his hands together to get their attention. "It's time for you to get some fresh air. Liesl, you are in charge of your brothers and sisters. Now off you go." The children scuttled out of the room, each waving cheerily to Maria as they left.

"Please don't be angry with Kurt, Captain. He is such a lovely boy who just needs to slow down sometimes," Maria laughed, as she observed how uncomfortable the Captain looked with his wet trousers.

"I'm not angry with him," Georg muttered and then gestured towards the bed, "but just look at your sheets, they are soaking wet."

"Please, don't worry. Frau Schmidt will change them for me but perhaps if you could just help me into the chair?"

Georg stared at Maria as if she had made the most ridiculously inappropriate request.

"It will be easier for Frau Schmidt, that's all," Maria felt it necessary to enlarge upon her request seeing the disconcerted look on the Captain's face.

Maria had injured her left ankle in the accident and wasn't able to put any weight on it so she was yet to properly venture out of bed.

Leaning over, Georg wrapped his arms around her and gently raised her to a standing position. As he did so, he could feel her fingers grazing his skin as she brought her own arms up and slid them around his neck, pulling herself closely to him. Her body was pressed firmly against his own and he could feel the swell of her breasts against his chest. His breath hitched in his throat as she unknowingly pushed her hips into his. She melted into him and he was uncertain where his own body ended and hers began. Weariness caused her breathing to become laboured and she rested her cheek against his. If only he could stay like this forever. His mind returned to the night of the party as he stood, inches away from her as they danced. If only he had listened to his heart they may have ended up in the very same tormentingly, erotic position. God knows there had been many nights where he had dreamed of it, longed for it.

"I'm just going to carefully turn you towards the chair," he whispered into her ear, realising that she was tiring. As he did so the hairs at the back of her neck stood on end at the sensation of his warm breath against her skin. He turned her slowly and she could feel the contours of his body; his chest, his hips and his strong protective forearms in exquisite detail.

Tentatively, he began to lower her to the chair and she looked up at him, a mixture of gratitude and longing etched on her face.

Seeing that she was settled he brushed down her nightgown and placed a blanket across her lap. He reached over to where the vase stood and picked out a delicate blue flower and handed it to Maria.

"It's a beautiful colour, don't you think? It matches your eyes perfectly."

Maria began to blush as an embarrassed smile spread across her lips and all she could do was nod in gratitude, words seeming to completely fail her.

"Well… now that you're comfortable, I'll ask Frau Schmidt to come and see to your sheets," Georg shrugged. Whilst he didn't want to break the magic of the moment, he knew that she still needed to heal and the best way that she could do that was to rest.

As he headed for the door, Maria called after him.

"Captain… thank you," she smiled, a genuine smile that lit up her whole face. "I'd like it if you came to see me again, that is, if you want to?"

"I would very much like to… thank you."

With a renewed sense of purpose, Georg von Trapp pushed his shoulders back and made his way out to the garden to spend some well needed time with his children.

xXx

 _ **A shorter chapter but at least they are moving in the right direction! As always, I'd be very grateful if you would consider leaving a review. Thank you**_


	4. Chapter 4

**AN** : - Written for the Proboards June writing prompt. Thank you again for all the reviews, I really do appreciate them.

 **Disclaimer** : - Written for pleasure not profit… I own nothing!

 **Rating** : - T

 **Chapter 4**

As the weeks rolled on, Maria became stronger. Georg and the children continued to visit her and slowly her wounds began to heal. The bruises that covered her body had gone through an array of colour changes, from raw, angry red, to a deeply uncomfortable purple hue. Finally, they began to turn yellow showing that Maria was almost healed. More than the pain and disfigurement, her biggest frustration was being a prisoner on the upper floor of the villa. She longed to be out in the garden, to feel the sun on her face and to breathe in the crisp fresh mountain air by the lake.

Due to the extent of her injuries, Maria was still unable to walk on her own and so Georg had arranged for a wheelchair to be brought to the von Trapp villa. Maria couldn't say she was all that happy about it but at least it gave her some freedom on the upper floor and she was able to visit the children's rooms and read them a bedtime story, something she had missed terribly since the accident.

Summer was in full swing and the garden with its vibrantly coloured blooms, looked so appealing as she stared out of the open bedroom window. Outside, the children were all running around playing hide and seek and she smiled at the sound of their excited squeals. She tried to edge nearer to the window. Positioning herself as close as possible with her hands on the window sill, she attempted to raise herself from the chair and lean over so that she could see more of the garden. As she did so, the wheelchair suddenly slid backwards and Maria screamed as she ended up desperately trying to cling onto the wooden sill to stop herself from falling in a painful, crumpled heap onto her bedroom floor.

Georg had been retrieving something from his suite and as he walked towards the stairs he heard Maria's cries of panic. Without knocking on the door he rushed into the Governess' room only to see her slowly slide to the floor in obvious pain.

"What on earth…" he quickly reached her and lifting her from the floor, placed her gently back in the chair.

"I'm so sorry, Captain… I'm so stupid. I just wanted to see the children in the garden. I forgot to put on the break as I looked out of the window. I'm very grateful to you for this chair but what I really want is to be able to go out _into_ the garden and not just look at it from up here," was her frustrated plea.

Crouching down on his haunches so that he was at her eye level, Georg placed his hands protectively on either arm of the chair, ostensibly pinning her in. He was tantalisingly close to her and had she not been so embarrassed about the position he had found her in, she may well have felt quite aroused by his proximity.

" _No_ … you are not stupid but you should have _told_ me that you wanted to go outside. I'm sure that's something that we can easily arrange," he smiled warmly and then wheeled Maria over to the bed, "Now, let's get you out of this chair and I'll take it down to the terrace."

As the Captain looked on, Maria manoeuvred herself out of the chair and on to the edge of the bed with some skill. He smiled and raised his eyebrows, partly out of surprise and partly due to the surge of pride that he felt at how fiercely independent and capable she was.

xXx

After making sure that the wheelchair was in the best place for Maria to be able to get around the garden he returned to the house for her. The children were all busy hiding and didn't see that their father had been outside.

Maria sat apprehensively on the bed, her fingers fidgeted with the bed covers as she contemplated how the Captain was going to be able to get her downstairs. He breezed back into the bedroom and stood with his hands on his hips.

"Well, Fraulein. How are we to get you down those stairs?" he grinned wickedly, knowing full well how he was going to do it.

"Erm… well, I'm not really sure," she spluttered, no end of awkward scenarios flying through her mind.

All of a sudden it was as if her worst nightmare or possibly her most inappropriate dream were about to come true. The Captain stepped forward and leaned towards Maria. He put one arm around her back and the other under her legs.

"Put your arms around my neck and just relax, I'll carry you downstairs, it's the easiest way," he grinned, knowing by Maria's silence that she was mortified by the idea.

"Hold on tight, Fraulein. You're about to have the ride of your lifetime!" he laughed, as he scooped her into his arms and twirled her around several times.

"Oh please, Captain. I'm dizzy enough as it is," Maria groaned, as the colour quickly drained from her face. Georg immediately stopped, knowing that he had gone too far.

He held her safely and steadily, waiting until her uneasiness had subsided. Flashes of her lifeless body lying limp and pathetic in his arms invaded his mind. Blood oozing over his jacket and the sight of her broken, distorted limbs reminded him of how close he came to losing her.

"I'm sorry, Fraulein. I suppose I'm just happy that you're feeling well enough to venture outside."

Maria just smiled and wrapped her arms around him a little tighter. She could tell by the hurt look in his eyes that he was annoyed with himself for his behaviour and it was the last thing that she wanted. She was happy with the comfortable friendship that seemed to be developing between them and she didn't want anything to spoil it.

Feeling so safe and comfortable in the Captain's arms, the temptation to rest her head against his shoulder was very strong. Her head began to swim as she felt intoxicated by his smell. Sandalwood and leather, mixed with a clean pine, like the woods after an April downpour. Maria didn't think that she had ever smelled anything quite as attractive. She could feel the skin on her arms tingle where it came into contact with his neck and she wondered if she was having the same effect on him. If she wasn't careful she would do something impetuous that she would likely regret later, so she pulled herself together by imagining that Sister Berthe was standing in front of them with a disgusted look on her face. It didn't take long for her to regain her composure!

"Well then, what are you waiting for? I can't hang around here all day!" she said in a serious tone of voice.

They looked at each other for a moment before bursting out laughing. Georg hitched her further into his arms.

"Your wish is my command!" he replied in a flourish and then he carefully carried her down to the garden.

xXx

Overwhelmed by the feel of the warm breeze caressing her skin, Maria became quiet, absorbing the calmness of her surroundings, as Georg finally reached her wheelchair and carefully lowered her into it.

There was no sign of the children as they had decided to take their game of hide and seek into the orchards and the hedged maze.

Whilst she loved them dearly, Maria was glad that she would spend her first few moments in the garden, on her own with the Captain. There were many questions that she wanted to ask him but finding the right time was always difficult.

"Captain… please would you take me down to the lakeside," she turned to ask him.

"Of course, and you can tell me where exactly you learned your boating skills," he teased.

They looked out over the lake for several minutes in a companionable silence before Georg decided that it was time to take her on a tour of the garden. There weren't many places accessible to the wheelchair but he managed to find a bench beneath one of the large trees by the lake and he carried Maria the short distance, placing her gently down.

"This is perfect," Maria whispered as she looked up to see the Captain hovering beside her.

"Please… won't you join me?" she asked.

Gladly, Georg sat down beside her, he crossed his legs and slid his arm along the back of the bench towards her.

For a moment there was an awkward atmosphere as they both tried to find the courage to ask the myriad of questions that still puzzled them both. Finally, Maria decided that she had to break the silence.

"Frau Schmidt told me that you were the one who found me. That you saved my life."

"Well, I think that's possibly a little dramatic, but yes, I did find you. Actually, it was Max who spotted your bag by the roadside, we searched for you as soon as I knew you'd gone."

Taking a deep breath, Maria looked out over the lake where two majestic swans were gliding effortlessly across the surface.

"I thought we had lost you. When I saw you lying there…" Georg's words caught in his throat and he couldn't finish his sentence.

With stinging eyes, Maria continued to look lake ward, not wanting the Captain to see that she was upset. She could hear the emotion in his voice and her heart felt as if it was being pierced by a thousand tiny needles.

"I'm sorry, I should never have left that night. It was foolish of me… I wasn't in my right mind," Maria apologised.

Georg shifted closer to her on the bench, "Maria…" he waited until she turned and met his gaze. "I know that you left because of the things that Elsa told you."

Maria nodded almost guiltily, her eyes full of sadness and regret.

"There was something that I've been wondering, well, two things. Either you left because you thought that I might do something dishonourable, or you left because the thought that I might have feelings for you was so distasteful that you couldn't possibly stay… which was it?"

Turning slightly, Maria reached out her hand and rested it on the seat of the bench between them. Georg looked down at it resisting the sudden urge to cover it with his own, not wanting to make things worse.

"The Baroness said many things to me the night of the ball and yes, she did imply that you might have some sort of infatuation with me, but she insisted that you would get over it. I hated how little she appeared to think of you. I know we may not always have seen eye to eye but there is one thing that I know with great certainty and that is that you are one of the most honourable men I have ever met."

"I'm not sure if that's much of a compliment, Fraulein. How many men have you _actually_ met?" Georg laughed, trying to make light of the situation.

"Please don't make fun of me. I'm trying to explain." Georg nodded in silent recognition of her request. "I remember every moment of that night, from the very beginning when the children were so excited. When we watched all the beautiful couples dancing in your ballroom. When I tried to teach Kurt the Landler…" Maria couldn't help laughing at the memory, before the sudden recollection of what happened next subdued her "…when you and I danced."

Georg's hand rested beside Maria's on the bench. Fingertips almost touching, Maria was sure she could feel the energy like an electric spark flowing between them.

"I did run away because of Elsa's words but not because I feared you, the truth is, I feared myself. God sent me to you and your children to fulfil a task and I had allowed myself to get distracted from that task. I was failing Him just as I was failing you. Elsa also told me something that I didn't want to admit but I knew she was right."

"What did she tell you?" Georg finally covered her hand with his in an attempt to give her the courage she obviously needed and Maria looked down as the warmth of his touch began to spread deliciously up her forearm.

"She told me that I was…"

"Fraulein Maria, Fraulein Maria!" Maria's words were cut short as the children suddenly came bounding out of the nearby copse of trees towards them. They landed by her feet and settled around her as she reached forward and caressed their cheeks one by one.

"You should have told us that you were coming outside, Fraulein Maria. You could have played our game," little Marta beamed, innocently.

"Don't be silly, Marta," Friedrich scolded. "Fraulein Maria can't walk yet. She couldn't have played our game."

Louisa shoved her older brother in the back and whispered some curt remark in admonishment of his thoughtless comments.

Maria chuckled to herself as she realised how much she had missed the children, even their petty squabbles.

"Oh, don't worry, Marta. I would have loved to have played your game. Soon I'll be well enough and then you'll have to run fast to hide from me."

It would be some time before Maria would be fit enough to walk let alone run and Georg felt the pangs of guilt tighten and constrict his chest once again. He swore to himself that he would do everything he could and employ the best Physical Therapists to ensure that her recuperation was complete.

The children began to chatter amongst themselves and Georg looked questioningly towards Maria, well aware that she had not finished her explanation. She shrugged her shoulders and smiled, amused by Georg's obvious annoyance at his children's intrusion.

Grumbling to himself he stood and cleared a space in front of Maria, then he lifted her again and placed her back in the chair. Friedrich pushed her, and both Gretl and Brigitta walked by her side holding her hands, as Marta sat carefully in her lap. Just as they reached the terrace the children exploded in uncontrolled excitement once again, as they saw Max walk nonchalantly towards them.

"Uncle Max, Uncle Max… you're back," they all yelled in unison.

"Hello, hello," Max chirped as he was surrounded by a swarm of von Trapp children.

" _Max_ ," Georg shook his friends hand. "You took your time coming back. I thought you'd be more concerned about Maria but it seems I was wrong."

" _You_ seem to have forgotten that Elsa is also a dear friend. It has taken her some time to get over what has happened between the two of you," was Max's cool reply.

Georg leaned in towards his friend and through gritted teeth he replied, "It has taken _Elsa_ some time to get over it? Just look at her Max," he spat as he glanced in Maria's direction, "Maria is confined to a wheelchair, unable to get around without it."

"Come, Georg, let's not fight, especially in front of Fraulein Maria and the children. I'm sure it will not do her any good to see this. Anyway, I come with news."

For Maria's sake, Georg took several deep breaths and calmed himself. Both he and Max walked across to where Maria waited for them in the wheelchair.

" _Well,_ what is this news that you have to impart?"

" _Children_ … would you mind going to find cook to see if she has any of her marvellous strudel for me?" Max asked, as he knew that his news was not appropriate for small ears.

"Yes, we will, Uncle Max. We'll bring you the biggest piece we can find," smirked Kurt and in a flurry of excitement they disappeared into the house.

Georg wheeled Maria up onto the terrace, then both he and Max joined her at the wrought iron table.

"No doubt you know all about this but I've heard some rumours, Georg. It seems your "friend" Herr Zeller has been taken into custody by the authorities, in relation to Fraulein Maria's accident."

Maria held her breath as she saw the Captain trying to make sense of what Max had just said. His face became stern, his fingers twitched and his cheeks flushed in fury.

" _What!_ Why is this the first that I've heard of this?" He looked directly at Maria hoping that he would find some answers.

Just at that point, Frau Schmidt walked out of the villa holding Herr Detweiler's strudel. She could tell that the atmosphere was tense and she looked towards the Captain and then Maria, who she could tell was in some distress.

"Did you _know_ about this," he hissed at Maria who was finding it hard to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall from her forlorn eyes.

Frau Schmidt stepped in, sensing that the Captain was about to lose his temper and do something stupid that would neither help himself nor Maria.

"It was _I_ who passed on the information to the Reverend Mother at the Abbey. She in turn notified the authorities. They have spoken to Fraulein Maria who told them everything that she remembered. It has indeed resulted in Herr Zeller's arrest. He will be facing a long sentence in prison for his cowardly and despicable act."

"The Nazi bastard… I should have known it would be him. He's the only person who is vile enough to just drive away and leave someone dying in the road. Dear God it really is all my fault. If I hadn't chased him away the night of the party, he would never have been on the road. "

"There's little point blaming yourself," the housekeeper was becoming tired of Georg's defeatism and she was concerned about Maria's obvious discomfort.

"If you had spent less time wallowing in self-pity when Fraulein Maria was recovering you would have been well aware of Herr Zeller's involvement," Frau Schmidt was so incensed and had blurted out the words before she could stop herself.

" _How dare you_ ," he shouted and rose from his seat with such force that the table moved several inches in Max's direction and he was forced to quickly move his chair back to avoid being struck.

"Why did you not tell me about this earlier," he looked between Maria and Frau Schmidt, "I had a right to know. Maria is in my care and I have a duty to look after her. I should have been the one meting out justice on that bastard. My God, if only I could get hold of him I'd kill him with my bare hands and take great pleasure in it." Georg was furious and strutting around the terrace with his fists clenched at his sides barely remaining in control of his actions.

"Stop it, STOP it… it's done with," Maria cried and began to struggle in her chair. "Herr Detweiler, please would you take me back to my room?"

As Max went to collect Maria, Georg realised how fragile Maria still was and how much his anger had frightened and shocked her. In his own selfish way, he had put his own feelings before hers. It was hard to imagine the courage she must have had to talk to the authorities about Zeller and he knew he should be praising her rather than chastising her for not telling him.

"Maria, please, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have got so angry but the thought of losing you to the hands of that… that… I can't bear it anymore, Maria… I love you."

xXx

 _ **Thank you again for getting this far. Please review if you can, and thank you for all the reviews so far.**_


	5. Chapter 5

**AN** : - Written for the Proboards June writing prompt. Thank you again for all the reviews, I really do appreciate them. I'm sorry that I left the last chapter at a real cliff-hanger moment, hopefully this will go some way to make up for it.

 **Disclaimer** : - Written for pleasure not profit… I own nothing!

 **Rating** : - T

 **Chapter 5**

" _Maria, please, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have got so angry but the thought of losing you to the hands of that… that… I can't bear it anymore, Maria… I love you."_

xXx

Innumerable emotions threatened to engulf Maria and consume every last ounce of composure that she had left. In his own inimitable way, Georg had managed to insult a lifelong friend, intimidate a loyal employee and alienate the one thing that he cared most about in the world, apart from his children.

Max glanced across at Frau Schmidt who looked as shocked as Maria and he shrugged his shoulders in exasperation.

" _Dear God_ , Georg. Have you only just told the poor girl?" he quipped, trying to make light of the situation in the only way he knew how... sarcasm.

"Shut up, Max," Georg snapped, as he tried to weigh up Maria's reaction to his less than romantic declaration of love.

"Well… I know when I'm not wanted," Max turned and rolled his eyes towards Frau Schmidt who was holding her breath, in the hope that they would finally be honest with one another.

It wasn't exactly how Frau Schmidt imagined that the Captain might tell Maria of his undying love for her but at least he had finally found the courage to say it. All those days that she had watched as the guilt and remorse had slowly eaten away at his very core had finally come to an end. All he had needed to do was to say perhaps the three most difficult words he had ever uttered.

The Impresario reached out to the Housekeeper and they beat a hasty retreat as Maria remained motionless in the chair, still processing the unexpected and unbelievable turn of events.

"I want to go back inside," Maria finally uttered, still shocked by the Captain's erratic behaviour.

"No… _no, no, no_ ," he waggled his finger at her in panic, "we've tip toed around each other for long enough. We need to talk, somewhere where we won't get disturbed and I know the perfect place," Georg spun her round in the chair before Maria could object and began pushing her away from the house.

"How dare you take advantage of the fact that I can't escape you," Maria's strained voice almost cracked as she desperately tried to sound as firm as possible.

"That's exactly it," Georg continued to push Maria purposefully towards the copse of trees at the far side of the garden., "I allowed you to escape once without hearing what I have to say and I nearly lost you, I won't make the same mistake again."

"Has anyone ever told you that you are as incorrigible as your youngest son?"

"Nobody has ever dared to until _you_ came along," Georg smirked, feeling that he had finally gained the upper hand.

Resigned to the fact that she wasn't going to be able to change his stubborn, pig-headed mind, Maria slumped back in the chair and folded her arms across her chest in complete disgust.

xXx

Reaching their destination, Maria held her breath as Georg wheeled her into the middle of the beautiful glass Gazebo that she had come to many times in the past. When she wanted some peace to reflect on her day or to ask God whether she was fulfilling the task that he had set for her, she would always make her way here.

Georg leaned down to lift her from the chair once again but this time she flinched and he felt the dread stab at his heart as he realised that he had hurt her far more than he could ever have believed.

His eyes fell upon hers and in silent acknowledgment she finally allowed him to gently place her down on the wrought iron benches that ran around the inside of the Gazebo.

Sitting close to her, Georg took a deep breath before allowing himself to let his _heart_ speak for once. He wouldn't get another opportunity and he wasn't about to let the only good and genuine thing that had entered his life, slip away, because he wasn't man enough to convince her to stay.

"Maria… for longer than you probably know, I have loved you so deeply that when you had your accident, I thought that my heart was withering away every single day that you lay unconscious."

Maria sat in silence, lost for words…

"I love every little thing about you. From your exquisite blue eyes and beautiful smile to your tenacious spirit and bravery. But most of all, I am in awe of the unfaltering love that you have for my children. Never for one minute did I ever think that I would find anybody that I could love as much as I loved my dear Agathe. But when you walked into my life and you questioned the way that I was bringing up my children, I'll admit that you angered me greatly but you also intrigued me and I realise now that I was attracted to you even then. I _loved_ you… from the beginning."

The anger that had been bubbling inside Maria was replaced by something that she couldn't truly explain. Sitting next to her was the man that she had been running away from because she feared her own attraction to him. He was baring his soul to her completely and utterly and she found his vulnerability incredibly humbling. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and absorb all of the sadness that still seemed to seep from every pore in his body.

"The night of the party, when all the guests had gone I told myself that I would speak to you the following day. When we danced, it took me all my time not to just wrap you in my arms and kiss you, right there in front of the children. I knew then that I had fallen head over heels in love with you. But then you left… and what happened was all my fault."

A tear began to trickle down Maria's cheek and she pulled her sleeve up over her thumb and wiped it away, never breaking the eye contact that she held with Georg. She could see the remorse etched all over his face and she finally understood why he hadn't visited her when she had regained consciousness.

"Please say something, before I resign myself to the fact that I will live out the rest of my life alone, because I know that I will _never_ love again, as I love you now."

Reaching out for his hand, Maria took it and gently pulled him nearer to her on the bench.

"None of it was your fault," she tried to convince him. "You did nothing wrong."

"Ohhh, yes, yes I did..." he shook his head in dismay. "I allowed the situation to get to such a point where Elsa felt that she needed to chase you away and then when she had succeeded, I set off a chain of events by forcing Zeller from my house which led him directly into your path."

"Elsa didn't chase me away. I told you earlier that I left because of what I feared of _myself_. She made me realise that I was not fulfilling God's will. As for Herr Zeller, you can't possibly blame yourself for that. I _admire_ your staunch principles and wouldn't have wanted you to have done anything different." Maria squeezed his hand gently to emphasise her words.

"You started to tell me about something Elsa had said to you before the children interrupted us," Georg reminded her, "what did she tell you… Maria?"

Absentmindedly, with her thumb, she traced circles on the back of his hand before finally meeting his gaze.

"She told me that I had fallen in love with you."

Georg's breath caught in his throat as he realised that he hadn't been wrong, he hadn't misread the signals that she had unconsciously been sending him. But he needed to hear it from her own lips.

"Do you, Maria? Do you love me?" his voice was almost a whisper and he held his breath as he waited for her reply.

"How can I love you when I have dedicated my life to God; when you are to marry the Baroness and when I am so obviously ill-suited to your social circles?"

"Social circles be damned," Georg's temper rose again. "You are worth a thousand of those pompous imbeciles. I would rather spend my life alone with you on a desert island than surround myself with those small minded, insincere bores."

Maria smiled as she could see the tell-tale signs of his irritation. The way his lips curled in distaste and the twitching of his fingers.

"As for Elsa. I already told you that she had gone and would not be returning to Salzburg. I can never forgive her for the way she treated you," he took Maria's hand between both of his and brought it to his lips kissing the back of it gently. "In any case, how can you marry someone, when you're in love with someone else?"

Summoning up all of his courage he leaned forward and placed a soft, sweet kiss on her lips. It took Maria several seconds to open her eyes after almost drowning in the warmth of his soft, supple and incredibly captivating lips.

"So… that just leaves your dedication to God. If you love me, does it have to mean that you love God less? Can you honestly tell me that you haven't once doubted that you were on the right path since you came here?"

"Yes, of course I have. That's the reason I was going back to the Abbey. I had to find out," Maria sighed, knowing that she was a fool trying to hide the love that she had for him. He had been honest with her, it was only fair that she was honest with him.

"When I woke up and you never came to see me, I thought that I had been stupid for believing that you could possibly have any feelings for me but when we danced I knew that I had seen something in your eyes. I admit, I didn't really know what it was but what I did know was that when we danced I felt so special, as if it were only you and I there and yes, I also wanted to kiss you. It shocked me, because I've never felt like that before," Maria began to blush and Georg smiled seeing how embarrassed she was but enchanted by her innocence.

"You probably won't believe me, but you can ask Frau Schmidt and she'll tell you. After your accident I spent every hour I could beside you. I nursed you as best I could. I kept your lips moist with wet cloths, I caressed your cheek and I told you every single day how much I loved you. I would have given my own life just for you to recover."

"Why weren't you there when I woke up?" Maria was confused and her head was beginning to hurt.

"I thought that you'd heard me and you'd had a fit. I assumed that you found the thought of me loving you so disgusting that it had caused your relapse," he hung his head in shame.

"I _did_ hear you… but I thought I was dreaming, the most wonderful dream. We are _both_ so stupid," Maria laughed and she leaned into him as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I do love you, Georg, with all my heart… but I have to speak with the Reverend Mother. I have to go back to the Abbey."

Georg pulled her closer to him so that he could feel every curve of her body fitted to his own. He closed his eyes tightly trying to stem the flow of tears that were trying their hardest to spring from his eyes as flashes of his nightmares invaded his consciousness… she was going to leave him.

"Please, Georg, will you give me some time?"

xXx

 _ **I'm sorry that this is just a very short chapter, I think there will be one final chapter that will see this story completed. Please review if you can.**_


	6. Chapter 6

**AN** : - Written for the Proboards June writing prompt. So, it seems that I haven't quite reached the end of this story as there will be one further chapter after this. Thank you for all the lovely reviews I've had. I hope you are still enjoying it.

 **Disclaimer** : - Written for pleasure not profit… I own nothing!

 **Rating** : - T

 **Chapter 6**

"Maria, my child. You look remarkably well," the Mother Abbess glided across to Maria and held out her hand which Maria immediately kissed.

"Thank you, Reverend Mother. I feel better every day." Maria's smile was so vibrant that it even defied the brightness of the sun's rays that streamed through the panes of the elderly nun's window.

"The Captain has obviously looked after you well, it would seem that he cares a great deal about you." Turning to look out of the leaded window behind her desk, the Reverend Mother addressed Maria once again, her voice quietly sombre. "We have been worried about you here at the Abbey, Maria."

Maria dropped her head and glanced towards her lap where her fingers were busy picking at the loose pieces of thread on her skirt. She had come here for this very conversation, but it didn't make her any less nervous about the prospect.

"What made you leave Aigen in the middle of the night in a raging storm. Is everything alright, Maria? Tell me, _why_ were you running away?"

"Oh Mother, I didn't think that I could face him again," Maria brought her hands up to her face, ashamed of her impetuous actions.

"Face _who_ , Maria… Captain von Trapp? Did he hurt you…" the Reverend Mother gasped," did he _do_ something to you?"

"Oh _no_ , no not at all. He would never do anything to hurt me. You see… he loves me… with all of his heart."

"Are you in love with _him_ , Maria?"

Maria gripped the arms of the wheelchair, uncertain what the Reverend Mother would make of her next confession.

"Yes, I love him more than I have loved anything else in this world… and that is why I was running away. I was there on God's errand. He didn't send me there to fall in love with my employer. He sent me to love his children and to nurture the poor souls. I have failed God and I'm not worthy of His love."

"Maria… the love that can exist between a man and a woman is holy too. You have a great capacity to love."

Maria felt the confusion and shame begin to constrict her chest as she fought to understand her feelings once again. "But I pledged my life to God, I pledged my life to his service. Before I left the Abbey I was ready to take my vows."

"My daughter, if you love this man, it doesn't mean that you love God less."

"Georg said the very same thing," finally relaxing in the chair, Maria sighed and sat back.

The Mother Abbess smiled as Maria used the Captains name, knowing then that Maria had already found her path in life, if only she would let go of the guilt that was threatening to consume her.

"Then he is indeed as wise as he is brave and honourable. Don't feel guilty, Maria, it is the will of God. You have found your true path in life and now you must embrace it with open arms. You were made for a life outside the Abbey. There is so much you can do Maria, the love that you have for Captain von Trapp and his children is a blessing and you _must_ see it as such."

It was as if a huge weight had been lifted from Maria's shoulders. No longer would she have to bear the guilt and shame of her failed dedication to God. He had indeed had other plans for her and she knew that she would never fail where it came to the Captain and his children. The Abbey had provided her sanctuary when she had needed it but if she were being truthful to herself she knew deep down that she would never be suited to the cloistered life. For the first time in her life she had a sense of purpose and she felt as free as the birds that soared atop the Untersberg.

"Thank you, Reverend Mother. I knew that if I spoke to you I would finally see things clearly. If I could ask one more thing of you?"

"Of course, my child."

"May I stay here for a few days? I think the peace and tranquillity of the Abbey may see my recovery through to its completion and I still feel as if I need to be close to God."

"Maria, God will always be with you but you may stay for as long as you wish. But I insist that you let Captain von Trapp know that you are safe and well."

Maria nodded and the Reverend Mother gestured for Sister Margaretta to enter and wheel Maria back to her room.

xXx

"Max… if I have to listen to your incessant droning on about the Salzburg Music Festival for one minute more, then I swear I will not be held responsible for my actions." Georg sat at his desk with his head buried in his hands, nursing the hangover of all hangovers.

"Well… you're certainly the proverbial bear with a sore head this morning… aren't you?" Max finally stopped pacing the room and flopped down into the nearest chair.

"I did try and warn you that you were indulging a little too much last night, dear fellow."

Georg grunted as he had to begrudgingly admit that for once his old friend had been right. They had spent the evening putting the world to rights, or at least Georg had and Max had sat back enjoying every juicy little detail that his inebriated friend had revealed to him. Most of it had been about Maria and how much he loved and missed her. Whilst Max had still not completely forgiven Georg for the way he had treated Elsa, he did realise that his friend was totally and utterly in love with his pretty little Governess and that pleased him, it pleased him very much. If anyone deserved some happiness, then Georg did.

"Yes, you did Max and you were right. There, are you happy now?" Georg wearily pushed himself up from the desk and turned to the window where he opened it just enough to let a fresh breeze drift in through the slight gap, easing the wave of nausea that was currently sweeping over him.

"No, not really, Georg. I'm not sure why you feel the need to drown your sorrows in drink. Maria is only staying at the Abbey for a few days more and at least she's kept in contact with you since she's been away."

"I miss her, Max. Is it so hard to believe?"

"At one time it would have been, but no, not now. She's changed you… and for the better may I just say. I'm happy for you Georg but you really have to stop wallowing in self-pity, it really isn't befitting a man of your social standing."

"Max, you are the biggest snob I have ever had the misfortune to know," Georg laughed.

"Thank goodness… I thought I was losing my touch," the Impresario twiddled his moustache between his fingertips and smirked.

"What if she decides not to come back. The longer she stays there the more she's likely to decide to take her vows. I'm not sure I can live without her, Max and nor can the children."

"For heaven's sake, there you go again." Max threw his hands down and slapped the arms of the chair. "I've had enough. I'm going to _find_ your children and see if they'll sing one of their wonderful songs for me. They have to keep practising after all if they are to sing at the…"

"MAX!"

"Alright, alright… but you can't blame a man for trying," Max slinked away quietly to find some breakfast and a newspaper, leaving Georg to nurse his headache.

xXx

Having made it through the morning and now feeling much brighter, Georg decided to join his children in the garden for the afternoon. The boys were swimming and the girls were gathering flowers to make posies for each other.

"Father, father," the little ones tumbled towards him and he scooped Gretl up into his arms and squeezed her tightly.

"When is Fraulein Maria coming back, Father?" Marta asked as she swung on his free hand.

"Yes, Father, when _is_ she coming back. We miss her," Brigitta added.

"Oh, very soon I'm sure and in the meantime you'll just have to put up with _me_!"

Placing Gretl down, the three girls all ran off giggling to each other. He spotted his eldest daughter sitting on the grass, she was sketching, leaning her back against a tree.

"I would love to see what you're drawing," he asked, putting his hand down to steady himself as he settled on the lawn beside her.

Tilting the book towards her Father, Liesl blushed, "It's not very good. I might be able to sing but I can't really draw."

"Hmmm…" Georg squinted as he tilted his head trying to fathom out the lines and scribblings on the page, "what exactly is it?"

"See, I told you," Liesl sighed and closed the sketch book, throwing it down on the grass beside her in disgust.

"None of us are perfect. You can't be good at everything, Liesl. You are beautiful, clever and you have a voice like an angel. You have to leave some talents for the others… mustn't be greedy!" he laughed and gave his eldest daughter a playful nudge on the shoulder.

"Fraulein Maria's perfect; isn't she Father? She can do anything," Liesl studied her father's face carefully and she could see that his mind had drifted to somewhere far away.

Georg looked at his daughter and knew that it was time for him to explain things to her. She was old enough to understand that he had decided to live life again, instead of hiding away from emotions and relationships.

"She _is_ perfect, Liesl," he sighed, his heart aching to see her again.

"Are you and Fraulein Maria… " Liesl looked away, fearing that her father would erupt in fury at her intrusive questions, "Do you love her, Father?"

Georg took his daughters hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing the palm softly.

"You know that I will never forget your Mother, don't you, Liesl?" the pretty young girl nodded as tears began to prick her eyes. "How could I ever forget her when she gave me seven of the most beautiful and precious memories a man could ever ask for…" Georg's voice began to waiver as he saw that a solitary tear had started to trickle down his daughter's cheek, "… but I need to move on and only since Fraulein Maria came into our lives have I believed that I can do that."

Liesl leaned against Georg's shoulder and he lifted his arm so that she could nestle against him.

"I love your Fraulein very much, Liesl. I hope that you can understand?" he kissed his daughter's temple and pulled her closer to him.

"I think you forget sometimes how old I am, Father. I probably knew before you did how much you loved each other. Do you realise how frustrating it was seeing you both fall in love with each other, neither of you really knowing?"

Georg laughed as Liesl sat up and turned to face him. "I'm happy for you, for both of you and I know that the others will be over the moon as well."

After kissing her Father's forehead, Liesl stood up and looked down at him.

"Father, could I go into Salzburg with Uncle Max tomorrow? I have one or two things I would like to get for Fraulein Maria's room before she comes back."

"Yes, of course, but make sure that Max drives safely. I know what he's like when he goes off on his own in one of my cars."

"Don't worry, I will." Liesl skipped away smiling to herself. It had been remarkably easy getting her father to agree and she was relieved. Since Fraulein Maria had sent a message asking if she could visit to discuss something very important and very secret, Liesl had been beside herself wondering how she would ever convince him to allow her to go.

xXx

Chapter Square was bustling with people on what was a warm and pleasant morning. The fountain looked majestic as Neptune, god of the sea, mounted on a seahorse and holding his trident and crown was spurting water in which rainbows glistened and shone like a thousand precious gems.

Max looked on as Liesl shut the car door and made her way over to the fountain, where Maria waited patiently for her. The young postulant who had accompanied Maria smiled when Liesl approached and then made her way over to one of the nearby shops.

"Liesl, you look even more grown up in only the few short days that I've been away," she reached up and kissed Liesl tenderly.

"It's so lovely to see you, Fraulein Maria."

"Your Father didn't mind you coming into Salzburg?" Maria enquired, concerned that Liesl might have got into trouble trying to fulfill her request.

"No, not at all and he doesn't know that I've come to meet you, so don't worry," Liesl settled beside Maria on a small stone bench.

"I'm glad you came," Maria smiled warmly. "There's something that I needed to talk to you about and I also want to ask a favour of you." Liesl nodded in silent acknowledgement of Maria's request.

"Somehow, I think you probably know what I'm about to tell you," Maria shifted uncomfortably in the chair. Liesl held out her hand and Maria took it onto her lap giving it a small squeeze.

"You are in love with Father and he loves you… yes, I know and I am so happy for you," Liesl said in a matter of fact tone as if it was something that she heard every day of week.

"Oh, thank heavens!" Maria sighed in relief. "I was dreading telling you more than I was of telling the Reverend Mother. But I had to tell you myself."

"Actually, I had a similar conversation with Father yesterday. What neither of you even knew though was that I was already aware of how you felt about each other. It was actually quite plain to see for those of us who understand matters of the heart," the young girl held her head proudly, exuding an air of maturity that Maria found incredibly endearing.

"Well… I wish you had told us earlier, perhaps all we needed was your expertise and a push in the right direction!" After a moment of shared laughter, Maria looked earnestly towards Liesl.

"I will never try and replace your Mother and I know that it may take some time for you all to accept me but please, never doubt how much I love you or your Father. I very much want to be a part of your life for as long as you'll all have me."

"I do hope that you will become my Mother, do you think Father will ask you to marry him, oh I so hope he does," Liesl clapped her hands together in excitement.

"Slow down," Maria laughed at the young girl's giddiness, "Let's take it one step at a time, in fact, that's exactly why I asked you to come here. There's something very important that I need you to do for me."

Liesl sat forward giving Maria her full attention, as she listened with excited squeals to Maria's plans.

xXx

 _ **Thank you for making it this far. I know that there was a lot of conversation in this chapter. I hope that it flowed okay.**_

 _ **Just when I think it will be the last one I find that I've written more than I expected. The next one definitely will be the last and after that I may have a short break from writing.**_


	7. Chapter 7

**AN** : - Written for the Proboards June writing prompt. We've reached the end of what was supposed to only be a one-shot! Apologies now because this one will be rather sweet and sickly and a little clichéd! Thank you for all the great reviews that I've had, they really do make a difference to me.

 **Disclaimer** : - Written for pleasure not profit… I own nothing!

 **Rating** : - T

 **Chapter 7**

"I hope it meets with your approval?" Frau Schmidt turned as she pushed Maria into the centre of the softly lit room and placed her to the side of a beautifully decorated table. "I followed Liesl's instructions to the letter."

Maria's cheeks were bathed in a warm glow that radiated from the dozens of candles of all shapes and sizes, that were dotted all around.

"It's absolutely perfect, thank you for all your help," Maria reached up for the Housekeepers hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"The Captain will be so pleased that you've come back from the Abbey. He's been quite hard to live with the last few days."

"Oh, I'm sorry. It would seem he has a little way to go before I have him completely trained," Maria laughed as she glanced up to see that Frau Schmidt was also chuckling to herself.

"Fraulein Maria… I just wanted to say how happy I am that you and the Captain have found each other. Whilst I would never have spoken out about it… it wasn't my place, you know - but I never for one moment thought that Baroness Schrader was right for him and more importantly she certainly wasn't fit to be a Mother," the housekeeper raised her eyebrows before giving Maria a warm smile.

"You on the other hand… from the moment you wrapped those children around your little finger, it wasn't long before the Captain fell under your spell as well."

"Oh but I never set out to…" Maria was shocked that perhaps her actions had appeared calculated.

"No, no, my dear, I know you didn't but you have had such a positive influence on the Captain and his children. The man that we see today is a far cry from the one that you encountered on your first day here… wouldn't you agree?"

Maria blushed as she recalled her first meeting with him when she had angered him by entering his ballroom, even then she found him dangerously attractive.

"Oh… oh, yes, I suppose so but he was _always_ a good man. I knew that he loved his children and he was trying to do his best for them. He just needed some guidance… it wasn't all that difficult."

"Well, you certainly made it look easy. You _do_ know how much he loves you, don't you?"

"Yes… I do and I suppose, like Liesl you are going to tell me that you knew that we both loved each other before even we did?" Maria shrugged, knowing that Frau Schmidt was a wise and perceptive woman.

"No, not exactly. I only truly knew when I saw how tenderly the Captain cared for you while you were ill. He never left your side unless I forced him to. Thinking back now though, the signs were there for anyone to see,"

"Hmmm… like the Baroness?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Frau Schmidt nodded, sadly. "Well… I'll leave you now. Liesl is ready to carry out the next part of your little plan as soon as I get back to the house and then we'll see that Dinner is served a little later… just to give you plenty of time," the Housekeeper gave Maria a knowing grin and she felt her cheeks flush once again at the prospect of spending time alone with her Captain.

Entering the house by the back door, Frau Schmidt winked at Liesl who had been waiting for her to return. Now it was time to put phase two into action.

xXx

Blissfully unaware of anything untoward happening in his house, Georg had decided to spend some quiet time reading. It was a pastime he partook in a little less often than he would like. He never seemed to be able to find any time to do it these days, not that he was complaining. His spare time was always taken up with the children since Maria had educated him on the fact that he had become a woefully inferior father.

He sniggered to himself as he recalled some of their more heated exchanges on the matter. Even when she was angry, _especially_ when she was angry, he had found her ridiculously attractive. If she had known, that when she stood before him, dripping wet, clothes clinging to every inch of her, he had felt the tell-tale stirrings of desire invade his body, he was sure she would have been mortally offended. The tightening in his groin had increased to an embarrassing scale as he had watched distractedly as a single droplet of water had slid from her slick hair, it meandered its way down her cheek until it reached her jaw where it's path diverted down the slope of her neck, before trickling temptingly over her collar bone then it disappeared beneath her blouse. His thoughts hadn't stopped there as he imagined it continuing its course languidly down between the curve of her breasts…

"Father, father…" Liesl came charging into his study unannounced.

Georg quickly placed the book in his lap for fear that his daughter might notice the inappropriately physical results of his daydream.

"Liesl, what on _earth is_ the matter, anyone would think that we were being burgled or worse," he tried to compose himself and banish the images of Maria from his over active imagination.

"I think we _are_ father, there's someone in the garden. You _must_ go and look…" Liesl dragged the curtains apart dramatically and shouted. "Look, _there_ … I saw a shadow."

"Have you been reading one of your horror stories again? You really must try to calm down. It's probably just a deer that's wandered into the garden from the hills." Georg's patience was being stretched by his daughters unusually frantic behaviour.

"Oh Father, _please_ just go and take a look. It would make me feel so much better," she fluttered her eyes at him in the vulnerable way that she knew he wouldn't be able to resist.

"Ohhh… very well." He stood and threw the book down onto the chair with a sigh. "You better stay here… just in case I get attacked and mortally injured by one of the absurd monsters from your books," he rolled his eyes and made his way to the door.

"Do be careful, Father… you never know what might be waiting for you out there!" Liesl whispered and smiled as she rubbed her hands together in glee.

xXx

The air was pleasantly warm and Georg was glad that he had decided not to throw his jacket on before he stepped out onto the back terrace.

Whilst he didn't for one-minute think that there was anything dangerous in the garden, he was taking care to keep his wits about him, glancing behind every now and again. As he approached the familiar copse of trees he noticed a strange glow just beyond them.

Stealthily he crept up to a large tree trunk and hid behind it, peering round he couldn't quite believe what he saw. Slowly he approached the candle lit Gazebo and for a moment he forgot to breathe as he saw Maria sitting quietly in the centre, Maria… his Maria.

"You came back," he whispered softly.

"Of course I did," she smiled tenderly, "I was always coming back."

Partially silhouetted in the door frame, Georg stood completely still. Maria had watched as he carefully approached the Gazebo. He was so handsome; in his shirt sleeves, no tie and shirt partly unbuttoned at the collar. She'd never seen him like this before, usually he was always so well-groomed with shirt and tie and very rarely even without his jacket on.

"What kept you?" Maria beamed as Georg began to walk towards her. "Oh no… stop, wait there."

Taken by surprise he took a step back and watched as ever so slowly, Maria struggled to push herself up from the wheelchair. Seeing her difficulty, Georg began to step towards her.

"No… please, I have to do this, I _want_ to do this… on my own," Maria winced in pain.

Finally, standing on her own two feet, albeit a little unsteadily, Maria tentatively walked towards Georg. Her steps were slow and ungainly but he watched with pride as she bravely covered the short distance across the Gazebo until she stood within inches of him. Reaching out, he took her hand and pulled her to him just as her last ounce of strength was about to desert her. She fell into his arms and he held her closely to him, rocking her gently.

"How did you manage to do this?" he was astounded by how much progress she'd made since she had been at the Abbey.

"I had a little help," she admitted. "Sister Berthe… she made sure I exercised and she made me walk a few steps each day until I could at least walk this far. I wanted to surprise you."

"You are the most beautiful, wonderful, astounding woman I have ever met; do you know that?" Georg brought her hand up to his lips and without breaking eye contact he kissed her palm slowly and then held it to his cheek.

Running his hands over her shoulders and down her sides, they came to rest at the small of her back and he pulled her to him tightly. He could feel every curve of her body as it fit perfectly against his. The rapid rise and fall of her chest against his own betrayed her arousal as she became accustomed to the feel of his warm muscular body. Maria allowed her fingertips to glide across his cheek and weave through the sleek brown hair at his temple, before finally coming to rest at the back of his neck.

With a new found boldness she reached up to him on tip toe until their lips were a mere breath apart.

"I'd very much like it if you would kiss me… Captain," she whispered breathlessly and as she gazed into his dangerously dark, blue eyes, he closed the gap between them and gently brushed his lips against hers.

Her heart almost exploded as she tasted his warm, moist lips but it wasn't enough, not nearly enough. Not wanting the moment to end she cupped his face in her hands and held him to her. As he began to pull away she drew his face back to hers and parted her lips, welcoming the feel of his tongue as it hesitantly slid into her mouth. She felt a tingle run down to the base of her spine as their mouths crushed together leaving her giddy and light headed.

Their tongues danced and dueled as their lips remained pressed, passionately together. Georg's hand slid up her back and around her neck until it found the soft curve of her jaw. Maria moaned as he pulled her hard against him. All of her senses were heightened as she began to drown in his touch, his smell and the warmth of his body. Her hands slipped lightly around his neck; his skin felt so hot that her fingers tingled. Through the thin material of his shirt, she could feel the muscles of his shoulders, smooth and firm as her hands slipped further. A low growl rumbled from his throat as he felt her hands exploring, touching, stroking and he imagined what they would feel like against his bare skin. The less virtuous side of him wanted her to slide her hands under his shirt but the principled side knew that it would be his undoing.

Breathlessly, they broke away but no sooner had they done so than his lips hungrily found the side of her neck and she leaned her head over so that he could continue to kiss and nip the soft skin that he found there. Maria moaned as he moved her hair gently away with his fingertips and trailed kisses along her collarbone.

His fingers slowly glided down her arms, the tips tracing circles as they went. When he reached her hands he slid his own through hers and their fingers entwined. Finally coming to his senses, Georg rested his forehead against hers.

"I love you, Maria," he gasped, as he fought to take control of the passion that was threatening to besiege his better judgement.

There was a look in his eyes that Maria had never seen before. They glistened in the candlelight and she could see the genuine love that he held for her but also something much deeper, perhaps gratitude or even redemption.

In order for them to regain their composure, Maria took a step backwards. They remained holding hands but there was a slight distance between the two of them.

"Thank you for giving me the time that I needed to come to terms with my feelings and to say goodbye to the Abbey. I knew from the moment that you blew your silly whistle that I loved you, I just didn't understand that what I was feeling was acceptable. But now I know that it is the most natural thing in the world and I'm not sure that I will _ever_ tire of telling you _just how much_ I love you."

Maria's words were silenced as Georg captured her lips once again. The tender and delicate kiss turned swiftly into a hungry and passionate one. He stopped and looked into her eyes, as if seeking approval, before moving the flimsy material of her dress away from her shoulder and placing the lightest of kisses there.

Whilst running his fingers through her golden hair with one hand, the other slowly worked its way downwards, his thumb grazed the side of her breast and Maria flinched slightly as she felt butterflies in her stomach and the new sensations that his touch had elicited.

"I'm sorry," Georg pulled away, ashamed of his lack of control.

"Don't _ever_ say you're sorry for loving me," she purred, as she brought his hand back to rest on her hip.

Taking her by the hand, Georg led her over to the table and pulled out a chair for her to sit, which she did gladly. Still holding her hand between both of his, he dropped down on one knee. Unable to control his emotions any longer, tears of joy began to well in his eyes. Maria reached forward and caught the first teardrop with her thumb as it began to fall.

"Maria, not very long ago I thought that my life had ended, I had no reason to live. I was failing my children and turning into a thoroughly unpleasant man. Then you came along and my life was turned upside down and just as I realized that I had fallen in love with you, I thought that I would lose you forever. You are my savior, you have brought purpose back into my life and love back into my heart. I can't imagine growing old with anyone else, nor do I want to. You are the only person I want to share the rest of my life with. I _love you_ Maria, will you marry me?"

Cupping his cheek, Maria leaned forward and kissed him slowly but sweetly on the cheek before whispering softly in his ear, "Never have I been more certain of anything in my life… yes, a thousand times yes… I love you, Georg."

Beaming, Georg stood and pulled Maria up with him, turning so that it was he who sat back down on the chair. He then guided Maria onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist, she in turn placed one arm around his shoulders, the other slid beneath the open collar of his shirt. Georg's eyes began to darken again as the touch of her fingertips against his chest was almost too delicious to bear.

Maria could tell the effect she was having on him, it wasn't difficult and she smiled to herself, proud of the fact that it was her that was doing this to him. She didn't want to torture him for too long though, she could tell that he was incredibly conflicted by what he _wanted_ to do as opposed to what he knew he _should_ do. She dropped her head to his shoulder and wrapped both arms around his neck.

"How did you arrange all of this?" Georg asked as he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"I had two very eager accomplices. Liesl and Frau Schmidt."

"Ahhhh, now I understand. I thought Liesl had lost her senses earlier on… going on about shadows in the garden." He shook his head and laughed.

"I think this is the most perfect evening I've ever had," Maria purred into his neck and the feel of her warm breath against his skin was enough to make the blood rush south once again. Sighing he shifted so that Maria sat more upright and she looked into his eyes.

"Maria, we should tell the children as soon as we can."

"To be honest, I'm not sure we need to. I think everyone knew about how we felt before we did, we haven't been very subtle I don't think."

"Oh, I don't know, I thought I was very subtle when we danced, after all, I really wanted to kiss you but I managed to control myself." Georg raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"Yes, although staring at me for goodness knows how long probably did give the game away."

"Oh and you don't think blushing as bright as a ripe tomato made anyone suspicious?"

They both laughed and hugged each other tightly before standing and moving towards the door of the Gazebo.

"The next time we dance the Landler, I will insist that you kiss me," Maria grinned as she tried to spin in his arms.

"That's enough of that or you'll end up back in that wheelchair."

Georg put his arm around Maria's waist to reassure her and give her the strength she needed to walk.

"Let's go and tell them anyway, I can't wait to see their faces," Georg took Maria's hand in his and together they made their way slowly back home.

xXx

 _ **Please review if you can, it's always extremely appreciated. Time for a story break now I think :)**_


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